The Dark Knight Rises: Impressions

We waited a bit to see the newest batman movie, The Dark Knight Rises. This is not a formal review, but for some reason I didn’t like the movie all that much in the end, and I wonder about it. What do you think? If you liked it a lot – why?

Without giving away anything really, without giving a spoiler, I think I can say that the end was just lame compared to the first half or so of the movie. There are really two endings, and I am referring to the one that explains the “why” of the Gotham City attacks. To me it’s as if the movie makers wanted to provide some messages – that this wasn’t simply an action film – and that a great deal of the movie’s story ending didn’t really have much to do with the messages. The story seemed to me a very flimsy vehicle for the messages. (The second ending makes me actually look forward to further movies, which I think may be better than this one.)

And what were the messages? My impressions are from only seeing the movie once, so please be kind to me if you respond with a comment. My first impression was that the movie was saying that we can’t rest easy after eliminating some criminals. There are always threats and we need to be prepared. But more specifically, it seemed to be alluding to terrorism.

All throughout the movie the theme of failure and fear, fear of failure, what makes us not fail, was obvious. Yet, when these things were spoken of, it just didn’t seem deep . . . I couldn’t feel that these things affected batman in the way everyone kept saying (apparently this has to do with the first and/or second movie, which I can barely remember now). The only part related to Bruce’s feelings and courage that seemed relevant to me was the issue of fear of death. So many heroes say they’re not afraid to die – it’s almost a cliche. But in order to continue to help anyone at all, batman had to let himself feel the fear of death. Nice touch.

An important aspect of the film was discerning whom to trust. Sometimes good people have to do bad things, so that a better thing may result; one has to sometimes choose the lesser of two evils. Sometimes good seeming people are only self-serving and manipulative–others that seem bad may only be being honest, and so they are far more virtuous. I like this theme the most, as I think it is the most relevant to our everyday lives – and it is such a significant aspect of life among humans. I was reminded of the short biblical story Jesus told (Matthew 21:28-31); though His specific application was different, it still reflects how people are and how we need to judge by actions, not just words:

“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’

“‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

“Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.

“Which of the two did what his father wanted?”

“The first,” they answered.

Other than those more serious impressions, I enjoyed the acting–Joseph Gordon-Levitt was just fine in his role–and the music. Great stuff.

3 thoughts on “The Dark Knight Rises: Impressions”

Hello! I tried to post this at your blog, but very very weirdly, the site kept bringing up my old blog to post under, which, is not cool . . . I don’t have the email for that anymore . . . and I was logged in here (of course). It showed all my current info under the post, too . . . just too strange, and so annoying since I can’t comment at your blog! Anyway, if you get this, thanks. Hopefully that bizarre problem will be worked out.

“Thanks for checking out my comments about this movie at my blog. The more I’ve thought about this movie, the more lack of respect I have for it. It’s all over the place, trying to be too many things at once. I just can’t get over (well, in the movieland part of my psyche) how bad the end ends up being. It’s such a let down, and is just asking me to accept the unreasonable and bizarre. =D I can’t think of a movie that, to me, is so disjointed. And, nice blog you have here. I came to check it out, and see if you have some of my favorite movies reviewed . . . have to keep looking.”

There are other articles about Destiny, but they are in regards to it's first year and where applicable, critical of certain aspects of the game and especially of how the second year made the first year's game useless. Those in charge of the game thumbed their noses at first year players (who are a type of investor). To play the game fully the second year, players had to fork out another $60; new players, arriving the second year, got the first year free, basically.

Pure

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Christian Things and Things Seen Through Christian Eyes

"I believe in Christianity as I believe the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." C.S. Lewis
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"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world" (James 1:27).
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Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:1
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"David said to Gad, 'I am in deep distress. Let me fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is very great; but do not let me fall into human hands'.” 1 Chronicles 21:13

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